The present invention relates to a straw, more particularly to a straw capable of being contained and stored within a capped beverage container.
In a beverage container or dispenser capable of being capped, when the beverage container is to be capped with leaving a certain amount of beverage therein, a straw which has been in use thus far is usually taken out of the beverage container. This is done because the beverage container cannot be capped due to the interference with the straw, and even if the beverage container could successfully be capped, the straw could fall down in the container and could be sunk in the remaining beverage so that it would become unable for the straw to be taken out of the beverage container or the straw could be wetted by the beverage throughout its length so that user""s hands would be made smeary when the straw would be taken out of the container. The straw which has been taken out of the beverage container will generally be thrown aside and will never be reused. This is because the straw which has once been used and taken out of the beverage container is inevitably wetted with the beverage, and an insanitary condition and surrounding contamination is caused by storing as it. It is troublesome to rinse and store the used straw separately from the beverage containers each time the straws are taken out of the beverage containers.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in conventional beverage containers, it is an object of the present invention to provide a straw capable of being contained and stored within a capped beverage container, sanitarily and readily, without any disadvantages, such as the inability of taking out the straw from the beverage container or the possibilities of causing surrounding contamination.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw comprising a straw member having an outer straw portion and an inner straw portion, the outer and inner straw portions being telescopingly fitted with each other, the inner straw portion including a bendable or retractable upper section, and a cylindrical plug member having an opening at the upper end thereof, wherein the upper end of the outer straw portion is formed integrally with or fixed to the plug member, the inner straw portion vertically extending through the plug member with restricted downward movement of the inner straw portion, wherein the inner straw portion is retained in the state inserted into a beverage container by mounting the plug member to the upper end of a mouth of the beverage container, the upper section of the inner straw portion being bent or axially retracted to store it in the plug member by pressing the upper end of the inner straw portion protruding from the upper end of the plug member with a beverage container cap so as to attach the beverage container cap to the beverage container, and the upper end of the inner straw portion being protruded from the upper end of the plug member by releasing the bending or retracted state of the upper section of the inner straw portion by detaching the beverage container cap.
In one mode of embodiment according a first aspect of the present invention, the upper section of the inner straw portion may be formed of at least one component selected from the group consisting of silicon elastomer, polyurethane elastomer, polyester elastomer, polyamide elastomer, and polyolefin elastomer.
In another mode of embodiment according a first aspect of the present invention, the upper end of the inner straw portion may be protruded in the range of about 10 to 15 mm from the mouth of the plug member when the inner straw portion is located at the lowest position thereof.
In still another mode of embodiment according a first aspect of the present invention, the plug member may include a flanged portion protruding outward along the upper rim of the plug member, wherein the plug member is mounted to the mouth of the beverage container with placing the flanged portion on the upper end of the mouth of the beverage container.
In yet another mode of embodiment according a first aspect of the present invention, the outer straw portion may be longitudinally retractable. For example, the outer straw portion may comprise an accordion portion retractable or extensible in the longitudinal direction. Otherwise, the outer straw portion may comprise an upper outer straw portion and a lower outer straw portion, wherein the upper outer and lower straw portions are telescopingly fitted with each other, and the upper end of the upper outer straw portion is integrally formed with or fixed to the plug member.
In a further mode of embodiment according a first aspect of the present invention, the plug member may include a vent hole at the sidewall or bottom section of the plug member.
In still a further mode of embodiment according to a first aspect of the present invention, the inner straw portion may include a bendable accordion bending portion.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage container with straw to which the aforementioned straw is mounted.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combination of straw and beverage container cap, comprising a straw including a straw member having an outer straw portion and an inner straw portion which are telescopingly fitted with each other, and a cylindrical plug member having an opening at the upper end thereof, wherein the upper end of the outer straw portion is formed integrally with or fixed to the plug member, the inner straw portion vertically extending through the plug member with restricted downward movement of the inner straw portion, wherein the inner straw portion is retained in the state inserted into a beverage container by mounting the plug member to the upper end of a mouth of the beverage container, and a beverage container cap including an upper section formed with a straw storing portion and a sidewall portion to be fitted to the mouth of the beverage container, wherein the upper end of the inner straw portion protruding from the upper end of the plug member mounted to the mouth of the beverage container is stored within the straw storing portion so as to attach the beverage container cap to the beverage container.
In one mode of embodiment according a third aspect of the present invention, the plug member may include a flanged portion protruding outwardly along the upper rim of the plug member, wherein the plug member is attached to the mouth of the beverage container with placing the flanged portion on the upper end of the mouth of the beverage container.
In another mode of embodiment according a third aspect of the present invention, the outer straw portion may be longitudinally retractable. For example, the outer straw portion may comprise an accordion portion retractable or extensible in the longitudinal direction. Otherwise, the outer straw portion may comprise an upper outer straw portion and a lower outer straw portion, wherein the upper outer and lower straw portions are telescopingly fitted with each other, and the upper end of the upper outer straw portion is integrally formed with or fixed to the plug member.
In still another mode of embodiment according a third aspect of the present invention, the plug member may include a vent hole at the sidewall or bottom section of the plug member.
In yet another mode of embodiment according a third aspect of the present invention, the inner straw portion may include a bendable accordion bending portion.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage container with straw, to which the aforementioned combination of straw and beverage container cap is mounted.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a straw used in the aforementioned combination of straw and beverage container cap.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a beverage container cap used in the aforementioned combination of straw and a beverage container cap.